


[Meta] Pondering Transformative Works, Blanket Permission, and Transformation in General

by fire_juggler_writes (fire_juggler)



Category: Meta - Fandom
Genre: Blanket Permission Statements, Other, Podfic Available, Transformational Works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-23
Updated: 2012-06-23
Packaged: 2017-11-15 06:38:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/524211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fire_juggler/pseuds/fire_juggler_writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>At this point, I remembered that I <i>technically</i> have two fic-ish things out there, (not to mention 50+ podfics), and no TW/BP statement.  So... I made one.  It was <i>excessively weird.</i>  I felt really bizarre doing it and in the process of making one, I had many, many, many thoughts about Transformative Works/Blanket Permission Statements and Transformation in general.  So, I'm writing them down here.  This is really long and more than a little ramble.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	[Meta] Pondering Transformative Works, Blanket Permission, and Transformation in General

**Author's Note:**

>   
> **UPDATE:** anatsuno _has made a PODMETA of this meta!!!!!_ It's so awesome! She actually makes my words sound coherent. I encourage you skip reading below and [GO LISTEN](http://anatsuno.livejournal.com/1056661.html), instead. You will not regret it!

Thanks bessyboo and paraka and for reading over this and giving me more things to think about! ♥

**Preface to this meta:**

**(One)**

In the last couple of months, I've written two.... things.  One was explicitly not!fic and the other was not!not!fic and not fic, but more in that hazy area of verbal vomit.  I didn't even post it to my journal, just stuck it on AO3.  Both un-betaed and un-spell-checked.  *nods*  They are... really great [/sarcasm]  Mostly, what this has confirmed for me is that I am a podficcer and not a writer.  But, they are out there in the world.

**(Two)**

A couple nights ago, I had a Twitter conversation with [](http://twitter.com/calliope)[**calliope**](http://twitter.com/calliope) and [](http://twitter.com/paraka)[**paraka**](http://twitter.com/paraka) about Blanket Permission/Transformative Works statements.  It was the usual podficcer chant, _"Why do all authors not have Blanket Permission or Transformative Works statements??!?!!"_   In it, [](http://twitter.com/calliope)[**calliope**](http://twitter.com/calliope) said "well, if they're like me, perhaps they assume their fic sucks and it won't be an issue."  [](http://twitter.com/paraka)[**paraka**](http://twitter.com/paraka) and I essentially said _"You are a podficcer!  You know how important this is! Go do this NAO!"_   (she did)

**(Three)**

At this point, I remembered that I _technically_ have two fic-ish things out there, (not to mention 50+ podfics), and no TW/BP statement.  So... I made one.  It was _excessively weird._   I felt really bizarre doing it and in the process of making one, I had many, many, many thoughts about Transformative Works/Blanket Permission Statements and Transformation in general.  So, I'm writing them down here.  This is really long and more than a little rambly.

Note: This is from the POV of a podficcer.

**Part the First (On Transforming Things):**

First off, I realized that I traditionally haven't considered myself to actually contribute much, fannishly, to be transformed. This made me realize that I need to have more faith in the continuing ingenuity of fandom.  _Of course_ there are ways to re-mix a podfic!  Why _shouldn't_ someone feel free to, I don't know, take bits and pieces of my podfics and splice them together into some form of verbal poetry?  Or re-pod a fic that I podficced and use my reading for one of the characters, a multi-reader podfic without collaboration, so to speak.  Or make a vid with my reading in the background?  Or make art based on the reading?  As long as the bits that I've done are credited to me, people should feel free to be as creative with my work as they want to!

Every fannish piece of art, craft, writing, spoken word, meta, filk, banner, and every other kind of fannish work, can be transformed.  And ultimately _this is what fandom is about!_ Everything we do is about transforming the work of someone else.  So just because I don't generally play in the areas of fandom that are _traditionally_ remixed, that doesn't mean that there aren't people out there who will use the spoken word in new and different ways. It doesn't mean that I shouldn't let the creative people of fandom play with my stuff, even if I, personally, don't know how I would re-mix it.

**Part the Second (On Transformative Works Statements):**

Because of the above, I feel very strongly that _everyone_ who has created something fannish should have a Transformative Works Statement.  Not only should they have one, but it should be _everywhere!_   It should be easy to locate.  It should be on every profile page you have; it should be on your masterlist. It should be on your Tumblr, and your journals, and your AO3, and your website, and anywhere else you post things.  And it should clearly state your thoughts.  

In my world, there are three kinds of Transformative Works Statements and they all have value:

 **(1) The Blanket Permission Statement:**   This is the "feel free to re-mix, podfic, create e-books of, create sequels/alternative ending for, create fanmixes, art, or whatever the hell you want with my work, just please credit me and drop me a link" Statement.  It often includes a small statement saying to "please do not archive the original work anywhere without my permission".

For people who like making transformative works, this is kind of the holy grail.

 **(2) The Remix-Friendly Statement:** This is the "I'm totally friendly and happy about people remixing my work, but please ask me ahead of time.  There may be a few fannish pieces that I would prefer not.  However, 99.9% of the time I will be absolutely thrilled and will say yes!" 

This is also awesome.  Asking permission to make a transformative work is insanely nerve-wracking.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard things on Twitter like "does anyone know if this Author is podfic-friendly?" or "I am now looking all over this Author's profile to see if they have friended any podficcers or podficcer comms to see if they might possibly be friendly toward the idea."  The angst around asking permission and waiting for permission is deep and unknowable.  Knowing that a person who does fanwork is open to the idea of transformative works is _huge_ and can relieve the pressure of asking.

 **(3) The No Transformative Works Please Statement:**   This is the "please do not remix/podfic or do anything with my work" statement. 

Ok.  This might seem odd, but there are a couple of reasons to make a clear statement about _not_ permitting transformative works.  Generally speaking, current fannish etiquette says that you don't create transformative works without asking first. This is _for the most part_ , the fandom etiquette default.  So, why should you have to state this when if you just say "no" when people ask you, then no works will be made?  

The thing is, as a podficcer, I don't _want_ to bother people who don't want podfics made of their work.  And although I have _thoughts_ *wavy hands* on Transformative Works and Fandom, I know that my thoughts are not everyone's thoughts and I respect that.  I also respect that someone might have very good and solid reasons for not permitting transformative works that I just don't know about.  I'd just rather know, up-front, that someone prefers to have no transformative works made of their fanworks.  I don't want to put myself through the angst of asking and being shot down, or asking and getting the passive-aggressive "no answer" and being left in limbo.  I really just want to know, ahead of time, that it's a no-go.

Secondly, although ask-permission-first is the current fannish norm, there have certainly been instances where people have not followed this norm, the thought being (I assume) "if they don't say 'no', then it's okay."  Having your wishes right out there, being explicit about what you do and do not want done with your work, can only be a good thing. 

**Part the Third (My Experience and Thoughts While Making a BP Statement):**

Because of all this, I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth was and to create a BP statement.  I campaign tirelessly among my friends to do this, and I felt should do it too.  When I did, I was shocked at how difficult it was, how weird I felt about it.  This is _not_ because I wouldn't be thrilled for people to remix my stuff, but more because of... well... these things:

 **(1) I feel egotistical and like my work is not worth transforming:**

I was writing my BP statement and all I could think was _why on earth would anyone want to do anything with my stuff?!??!_   I've gotten this from other authors I've talked to as well.  Thoughts like "I feel like someone begging people to take me to the prom!" and "I feel really pompous doing this!". 

In the past, I've always told them, "No!  It's not like that at all!  You're just giving people the option!  Really!  It's a godsend!!", but faced with actually creating a BP Statement, I knew exactly what they meant.  I practically blushed when I posted it.  All I could do, was remind myself that it's not my job to decide what someone might or might not find worthy of their attention.  All I can do, is give people the option if they want it.

**(2) You know, if people actually want to do it, they'll just ask.  I'm not scary:**

This is the addendum to (1).  After all, if someone is that into my stuff, there's no reason why they can't ask.  I'm really not a scary person.  Everyone and their dog knows that I'm pro-transformative works, so why put myself through the I-feel-like-a-pompous-jerk and put a BP/TW statement up?

The thing is that everyone _doesn't_ know that.  I even have podficcer friends who don't have BP statements and I assume, because _they're podficcers_ and understand about BP, that if they were cool with having their stuff podficced or otherwise transformed, that they would _already have a BP Statement!_   Since they don't, I feel weird approaching them about it.  This would go 10-fold approaching someone that I only barely know, and 100-fold for people that I don't know at all.  It doesn't matter if _I_ know that I'm not scary.  Fandom is a vast place full of all kinds of people.  Not all of them know that I'm not scary.  So, all I can do, is put it out there, plainly, that this is something that is cool and awesome and they should feel free.

 _Also_ , and thank you, Paraka, for reminding me of this, I might not always be around to give (or not give) permission.  I might go on a 6-month hiatus.  I might leave fandom.  I might change my fandom handle and people won't know where to find me.  Someone might try to contact me through a channel I never check *coughInsaneJournalcough* I might (actually, not to be morbid or anything, but I _will_ ) die; such is the state of being mortal.  Having a clear statement of how I feel about Transformative Works ensures that my thoughts will be known when I'm not around to say yay or nay.  As Paraka pointed out, with the Star Trek Reboot movies, fanfiction from fanzines of the 60s and 70s is being rediscovered, re-read, re-appreciated, and most of those authors can't be contacted.  Fandom will be around long after we leave it (for whatever reason), so having a clear statement is that much more important, especially as fannish norms and etiquette continue to evolve, and what the norm is today, may not be the norm next year.

**(3) To me, it feels redundant to give BP:**

So, here's the thing.  My thoughts about fandom and transformative works.  I feel like all of fandom is based on transformative works.  We are taking the worlds and characters and thoughts and ideas of other people, and changing them up, playing with them, sticking them in coffee shops, altering their genders, cross-dressing them, stripping them of their magic, drawing them, vidding them, writing them, crafting them, meta-ing about them... 

So... it feels very odd to me that someone who is _already_ creating transformative works of _someone else's work_ would then turn around, lock them down, and essentially say "I'm sorry, but you may not play with this."  Because of this, in my world I feel like the _default_ should be Blanket Permission rather than No Permission.  Ergo, the writing of a BP Statement is redundant. 

However, I also know that this is not the way 99% of fandom thinks.  And even if it _were_ the default, I realized that I feel the same way as I feel about the No Transformative Works Statement.  Stating things explicitly is always better.  Why make people guess or assume?  Why fill them with angst when I can just say up-front, "yes, go ahead!"

**Part the Fourth (Wrapping Up):**

So, yes.  Apparently writing what is essentially one sentence on my various Profile Pages sent me into this flurry of thoughts about Fandom, and Transformative Works, and Transformative Works Statements.  And if you made it all the way through that, congratulations.  I guess I'll close with two things:  

First, if you've created _anything_ fannish, consider writing a Transformative Works Statement and put it everywhere, because there may be someone out there who is dying to play with your stuff, but too afraid to come forward and ask. 

And last, but not least, because it can't be said too many times in too many places:

I hereby give anyone and everyone permission to transform any of my fannish works.  You may remix, make poetry out of, take the plot and do something different with it, write alternate endings or sequels, make mixes, chop, splice, color, warp, cook at 450 degrees, or whatever you want.  Just credit me for my bits and drop me a link when you post!  And, if my work is, itself, a transformative work (i.e. a podfic), please get permission from the original creator as well.  And please don't archive the original work anywhere without my permission.

That is all.


End file.
